The CEO Whisperer: Vivid Vision – Cameron Herald
A genuinely remarkable tool to gather your aspirational business thoughts, unfettered by what might block or restrict your vision.
Known as “The CEO Whisperer”, Cameron Herald’s simple process is astonishingly empowering.
In short: get away from your home or workplace. Go somewhere inspirational (log cabin in a remote forest is a ‘yes’, the local coffeeshop is a ‘no’). The aim is to be uninterrupted by the day-to-day of your life or company fire-fighting for a number of hours.
Then: brain dump. Make notes, write prose, do a ming map – whatever it takes.
You will need to predict what life is like for you and your company, 5 years from now. You must imagine that everything you could have hoped for has gone to plan.
What have you achieved? Write it down.
The more audacious the better.
But Herald wants your whole vision – the details – not just your business goals, but all the other stuff… From a description of your office/workspace/factory – the art on the walls, the music that is played – to how your company culture stacks up when employees consider what it is like to work for you.
Once you’ve captured this, collaborate with a copywriter and distill the results down to 4-5 pages of A4. Then share with your leadership team, get their buy-in and then share to the wider company team. Everyone should have your vision in mind when they set about their various projects to support you and your company.
Sounds so simple, right? But have you ever done this or a similar exercise before?
Perhaps 2022 could be the year that you do.
85% of people surveyed by Gallup in 2019 claim to “hate their jobs”. One of the many factors that contributes to this unhappiness is that many employees are unsure of the value of their role or responsibilities within your business.
They are often unaware of the greater vision of their CEO and are thus unable to understand company strategy and as a result they find company decisions surprising or confusing.
Your Vision piece is a route map: it will help them understand. This will invite your team into your world, and help them better under stand you and your vision.
After all, you can’t expect your team to read your mind. Clear communication for the win.
As a post-script, I’ve introduced this process to a number of my clients. They were engaged and inspired by the results. I’ve also applied the process to my own life plan – most enlightening and thoroughly recommended.
Order Herald’s book here.